Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The Council of the European Union today in Brussels adopted additional restrictive measures against four entities and three individuals under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Scheme. These entities include extremist Israeli settlers and organizations that support them, responsible for serious and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank, including violations of everyone's right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental integrity, the right to property, the right to private and family life, freedom of religion or belief, and the right to education. According to a statement issued by the EU institutions, this decision implements the political agreement reached at the Foreign Affairs Council on May 11, 2026. In a separate statement, the Council today decided to extend the EU's restrictive measures against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to include members of Hamas's political bureau who promote, defend, and justify acts of violence. This decision follows the political agreement reached by EU foreign ministers on May 11, 2026.